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11. Occupation of Sproul Hall

College: University of California, BerkeleyCity: Berkeley, CADate: 12/2/1964Number of People Involved: ~1,500

The largest demonstration ever organized by the Free Speech Movement took place on UC-Berkeley's campus in December, 1964. Students protesting the school's expulsion of those involved in the movement, and in student activism in general, responded by occupying the hall en masse one day. In all, 1,500 camped out in the building before being removed by police. Over 750 student activists were eventually arrested, and the university had its hands tied, with no way to expel a significant, tuition-paying portion of its student body without destroying the school's budget.